"NY Budget Battle: Hochul's Bail Reform Plans Face Resistance and Ticking Clock"

Former New York Governor David Paterson has suggested that current Governor Kathy Hochul should hold up the state budget past the April 1 deadline if she thinks that will secure changes to bail reform, despite legislative resistance. Hochul has proposed to eliminate for serious offenses a legal standard that requires judges give criminal defendants the “least restrictive conditions” ahead of their trial even in cases where the crime would otherwise allow the use of cash bail. Critics argue there is not enough data to justify changing criminal justice reforms first approved in 2019, though anecdotal evidence suggests repeat offenders are taking advantage of the current bail limits.